The industry is aggressively pursing a variety of approaches to reduce the use of potable (safe to drink) water in hydraulic fracturing operations. As demand for water grows, operators are increasingly pursuing options for managing fracture flow back fluids to be reused for subsequent hydraulic fracturing or other uses, rather than treating for discharge.

Additionally, many operators are looking to non-potable sources of water for treatment and use in hydraulic fracturing operations. Water reuse/recycling and the use of non-potable sources of water can be key enablers to large scale future development in many areas and relieve some of the concerns about water usage.